What You Can Learn From The World’s Oldest Yoga Instructor

Tao Porchon-Lynch may be the world’s oldest yoga instructor, but?you can guarantee that she has more flexibility and zen than most millennials (sorry for using the ‘M’ word)

We know that yoga has the ability to?essentially rewire our brains, lowers body weight, and acts as a stress reliever – so why aren’t more people doing it? This amazing woman will change your mind about yoga.

Tao was officially named the world’s oldest yoga instructor back in 2012. Now 98, she still hold’s that title with pride and has even become the face of Athleta’s “Power of She” campaign – a powerful all-female campaign that promotes physical activity and wellbeing as being fundamental parts of life.

The former couture model (and America’s Got Talent auditionee) began practising yoga almost nine decades ago in her homeland of India (she currently resides in New york), and?thanks her?amazing resilience, and physical and emotional wellbeing to?yogic breathing.

According to Tao, there are three vital components to transforming your life through yoga.

Breathing is the key

Those who haven’t practised yoga before know that it’s not all about strange positions on the ground. Tao believes that by mastering breathing, you have the ability to achieve things that are far beyond your own potential. “When you are in touch with the breath there is no such thing as age,” Porchon-Lynch said to The Huffington Post.

The poses are only half the battle

Similarly to above, the real challenge is in the breathing. Yoga teaches you to retrain your thoughts and swap negativity for optimism and positivity. As Tao says, “yoga is done with the breath. It means ?union with your inner self. When you breathe, you tune into the inner self, and you’ll find it opens up your whole life. And that’s what yoga is all about.”.

After practising yoga, the world will appear more positive and lovely

In a nutshell: a calm mind + relaxed muscles = positive and uplifting thoughts.

Porchon-Lynch credits her ongoing good health and strong mentality, and happy mind to regularly practising yoga, and encourages everyone to wake up in the morning?with positivity: “when you wake up in the morning, say, ‘This is going to be the best day of my life’. People say I changed their life. I didn’t change their life. I just taught them to use their breath”, she says.

Possibly the only downside is that Tao starts her day at 5am before teaching groups of more than 1,000 students in her yoga classes.

Take two and watch the inspirational Tao below. If you think yoga might be for you, why not check out The Yoga Hub this weekend and try it out for yourself.